Sardinia Radio Telescope: General Description, Technical Commissioning and First Light

Journal of Astronomical Instrumentation

article

P. Bolli¹  A. Orlati²  L. Stringhetti³  A. Orfei²  S. Righini²  R. Ambrosini²  M. Bartolini²  C. Bortolotti²  F. Buffa⁴  M. Buttu⁴  A. Cattani²  N. D'Amico⁴  G. Deiana⁴  A. Fara⁴  F. Fiocchi²  F. Gaudiomonte⁴  A. Maccaferri²  S. Mariotti²  P. Marongiu⁴  A. Melis⁴  C. Migoni⁴  M. Morsiani²  M. Nanni²  F. Nasyr⁴  A. Pellizzoni⁴  T. Pisanu⁴  M. Poloni²  S. Poppi⁴  I. Porceddu⁴  I. Prandoni²  J. Roda²  M. Roma²  A. Scalambra²  G. Serra⁴  A. Trois⁴  G. Valente⁴  G. P. Vargiu⁴  G. Zacchiroli² 

[1] INAF – Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri;INAF – Istituto di Radio Astronomia di Bologna;INAF – Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Milano;INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari

关键词: Radio telescope;    technical commissioning;    radio astronomy;   

DOI  :  10.1142/S2251171715500087

学科分类：天文学(综合)

来源: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.

【 摘 要 】

In the period 2012 June–2013 October, the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT) went through the technical commissioning phase. The characterization involved three first-light receivers, ranging in frequency between 300MHz and 26GHz, connected to a Total Power back-end. It also tested and employed the telescope active surface installed in the main reflector of the antenna. The instrument status and performance proved to be in good agreement with the expectations in terms of surface panels alignment (at present 300μmrms to be improved with microwave holography), gain (∼0.6K/Jy in the given frequency range), pointing accuracy (5 arcsec at 22GHz) and overall single-dish operational capabilities. Unresolved issues include the commissioning of the receiver centered at 350MHz, which was compromised by several radio frequency interferences, and a lower-than-expected aperture efficiency for the 22-GHz receiver when pointing at low elevations. Nevertheless, the SRT, at present completing its Astronomical Validation phase, is positively approaching its opening to the scientific community.

【 授权许可】

Unknown